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Early Head Start and Head Start

Head Start Applications

If you have a child ready for Early Head Start or Head Start please use this application click here

If you are pregnant and would like to apply for Early Head Start please use this application click here

Early Head Start

Early Head Start is a federally funded program for eligible children, age birth to three, pregnant women and their families.

Early Head Start programs combine developmentally appropriate curricula with medical, dental, nutritional, and social service supports for income eligible children and their families. Services for pregnant women include home visits, support with accessing medical and dental care and a newborn well child visit by a health professional.

EASTCONN administers the Early Head Start program in Windham County. This program serves income-eligible pregnant women and children, birth to age 3, and their families, in a home-visiting and center-based program. EASTCONN offers Early Head Start in northeastern Connecticut, while Windham Public Schools provides the program for the greater Windham area. Stafford Public Schools offers a home-based program in the Stafford area. Benefits of Early Head Start include strong family involvement and support with health, dental, nutrition and mental health needs.

The EASTCONN programs are committed to high quality early childhood programming, including highly qualified teachers, ongoing professional development, small class size, a low child-to-staff ratio, a broad socioeconomic mix of children, and parent engagement in their children's learning.

Head Start

Head Start is a federally funded program for eligible children, age three to five and their families.

Head Start programs combine school readiness curricula with medical, dental, nutritional, and social service supports for income-eligible children and their families.

EASTCONN administers Head Start, a comprehensive, federally funded program for income-eligible preschool-age children and their families in Windham and Tolland counties. A variety of program options are available. Options include center-based or home-based programming. Center-based programs are available in Killingly, Plainfield, Putnam, Stafford, Vernon and Windham. The home-visiting program, combined with a play group, is available for families in the Putnam, Killingly, Plainfield and Windham areas. Stafford and Windham Public Schools provide the Head Start programs in their respective regions. Benefits of Head Start include strong family involvement and support with health, dental, nutrition and mental health needs.

EASTCONN programs use developmentally appropriate school readiness curriculum based on the Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards. Children are assessed using both federal Head Start outcomes as well as the Connecticut Preschool Benchmarks to ensure that there is good curricular alignment with the public schools that will be receiving these children.

The EASTCONN programs are committed to high-quality early childhood programming, including highly qualified teachers, ongoing professional development, small class size, a low child-to-staff ratio, a broad socioeconomic mix of children and parent engagement in their children's learning.